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AMNA/ Hugo Chavez was "a big leader" and "great revolutionary", said
Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday on
learning about the death of Venezuela's president at 58.

Tsipras said that Chavez, in the 14 years as president, managed to lead
the people of South America to the path of democracy, the people's rule
and social liberation despite great odds and attracted the attention of
the world community to a continent that did not serve as a laboratory
animal to barbaric neoliberal policies but a creative laboratory of
democratic rule and national independence.

"Hugo Chavez stood against oppresion and defended the poorer social
strata. He fought great battles to obliterate poverty and social
degradation, that's why he became a symbol for the majority of his
people. People may come and go, but their work remains," Tsipras said.

Chavez "expressed the will of the people of Venezuela and was voted
president of his country in three difficult elections, in 1998, 2006
and 2012," said Communist Party of Greece (KKE) leader Aleka Papariga.

KKE expressed its solidarity to the people of Venezuela and its support,
and asserted that itself was moving towards the same direction as
Venezuela, "against every attempt to suppress popular will."